Freedom of Information Act for Genealogy Research

FBI & CIA Records for Genealogy Research
Courtesy of Michael J. Ravnitzky we have the following information:

Use this letter to ask for copies of Government Records and get a copy of the FBI and CIA Files on yourself or anyone else provided that they are dead or you have their written permission. Simply include the date of death and some proof of death such as a Death Certificate, Newspaper Obituary, etc. You don't need proof of death if the person was born more than 110 years ago.

Letter asking for copies of Government Records You can also modify this letter to get files from colleges and universities, corporations, associations, or other organizations and information agencies.

Other Addresses - CIA and SSA Address for FOIA Requests

Disclaimer - do not rely on this letter for legal purposes.

Form Letter you can use to ask for copies of FBI, CIA and other government records under the Freedom of Information Act.

YOUR ADDRESS
TODAY'S DATE

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Attn: Freedom of Information - Privacy Act Unit
Office of Public and Congressional Affairs
935 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20535-0001 USA

Gentlemen:

This is a request for records under the Freedom of Information Act concerning
NAME OF PERSON, who was born on BIRTH DATE in BIRTH PLACE and who died on
DEATH DATE. Enclosed is a copy of proof of death. (ENCLOSE A PHOTOCOPY OF DEATH CERTIFICATE, NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE OBITUARY, ETC.)

I request a copy of all records about this (deceased) individual which are at the FBI. This includes (but is not limited to) documents, reports, memoranda, letters, bulkies, ELSUR (electronic surveillance) records and indices, Official and Confidential files, Personal and Confidential Files, electronic files, database references, "do not file" files, and other miscellaneous files and index citations relating to the subject in other files (i.e. "see also" references). I would like the Electronic Surveillance (ELSUR) indices searched. In terms of which indices to search, please interpret this request broadly.

This person lived part of his/her life before 1958, so please search your central general indices and not just the more recent computer indices.

PLEASE SEND ME ALL MAIN FILES AND CROSS-REFERENCES, AND THE SEARCH SLIP. I WANT ALL CROSS REFERENCES.

FOIA regulations provide that if some material is properly exempt from mandatory disclosure, all segregable portions must be released. If the requested material is released with deletions, I ask that each deletion be marked to indicate the exemption(s) being claimed to authorize each particular withholding. Also, I ask that your agency exercise its discretion to release records which may be technically exempt, but where withholding serves no important public interest.

I agree to pay reasonable costs associated with search and reproduction of the requested records up to a maximum of $25 without my further permission.
MENTION HERE IF YOU ARE A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MEDIA, AN EDUCATOR, OR A COMMERCIAL ENTITY.

Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
YOUR PHONE NUMBER.

This letter only gets you files from Headquarters!!!!!!. To get the files from Field Offices, you'll need to write directly to the Field Office.
Addresses of Field Offices are listed at
http://www.fbi.gov
and go to the field office listings.
Michael J. Ravnitzky

PS: IF THEY SAY THERE IS NO FILE, APPEAL AND TELL THEM THAT THEY MUST
SEARCH CROSS REFERENCES ONLY. THIS IS ***VERY*** IMPORTANT.

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Central Intelligence Agency
FOIA and Privacy Coordinator
Washington, DC 20505
Telephone number: (703) 613-1287
Fax: (703) 613-3007

Social Security Administration
Office of Disclosure Policy
3-A-6 Operations Building
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland, 21235

FOR REQUESTING A COPY OF AN ORIGINAL APPLICATION FOR A SSN, SEE THESE PAGES:

http://www.ssa.gov/foia/html/foia_guide.htm
Request for a copy of an original Social Security Application

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DISCLAIMER

NOTE: This does not constitute legal advice. Do not rely on this letter for legal purposes. Consult an attorney if you have any legal questions pertaining to your own specific situation. - - - This form letter provided for reference purposes only.

Michael J. Ravnitzky
476 Marlborough Road
Brooklyn, New York 11226
[email protected]
Lawyer, Writer and Expert on using the Freedom of Information Act,
who has personally filed thousands of FOIA requests over the last 20 years.

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